Missing
by A Beautiful Contradiction
Summary: As I look back at them with a tear in my eye, my heart is screaming to go back, but my mind says it's for the best. I love you Miroku. ... Rated T for future. Whole lot better than it sounds. R&R! Now on temporary hiatius. Sorry. Email if you have ideas!
1. Missing

Hey guys! It's been a long time since I was here, but I'm back in business and ready to entertain expectant readers once again! I'm trying out Inuyasha fics now, so please read and tell me what you think. And for those who have no clue who I am, please check out my other stories. I don't own Inuyasha. The only thing I do own is this plotline. Again, please tell me what you think. I'm always trying to improve, but keep the criticism positive and constructive please! Okay, on with the story! Hope you enjoy it!

Oh and I recommend you listen to Evanescence's song "Missing" while you read this. It adds a lot to the tone and feel of the story. This first part is based on this song, so the music adds a lot to it.

* * *

Rain continued to pour down on the young taijiya's head as she fell on the muddy earth. Thunder boomed overhead and lightning struck in magnificent patterns across the sky and on the ground. She picked herself up, and ignoring the mud, continued her running through the dark forest. She'd decided to run from her friends, practically the only family she had left, because she was scared she would betray them once again. The only thing she left behind was her faithful cat that had traveled with her for almost all her life. So she continued on towards her goal, which was to spare her friends from her mutinous ways. Tears started to well up in her eyes and motivated her to run faster.

'Where am I going to go? If I go back to my village they'll just come back and convince me to go with them again. I've got to go where they won't dare come looking for me. I know! I'll go north to the mountains. They wouldn't worry coming after me with the thought of the mission still in their minds.' The young warrior turned north, still running with all her might.

Back at the campsite, a young monk stirred and opened his eyes to check on everyone. All the sleeping bags were full, but one held a strange look to it. The young man furrowed his eyebrows on confusion and stood, going to examine it, hoping that nothing was wrong with the young woman who occupied the sleeping bag. He gently shook the bag, hoping to find his friend's hand coming up to slap him like always happened when he woke her up. When the pillow fell out where her shoulder should have been, he looked around and saw all her armor and weapons gone, save her cat, and the door slightly cracked. A bone crushing chill ran down the young man's spine, causing him to jump up immediately and grab his belongings as well. As much as he tried to be quiet, he wasn't able to get out without stirring the young girl in the other sleeping bag.

"What's wrong Miroku? Where are you going?" The young monk turned towards her, a hint of worry in his voice, which caused his voice to falter as he replied in a whisper.

"Sango… she's gone… and now I'm going to look for her. Please don't try stopping me." The young girl stood up, grabbed her bow and arrows and went to the door, much to the young man's dismay.

"I'm coming with you Miroku. We can cover more ground and-"

"No Kagome. I need to do this by myself. You stay here and look after the others. If I need help, I'll send Kirara back to get you."

"Fine, I'll give you a few hours, but after that, I'm going to start searching as well."

"Deal, then I'll leave Kirara here with you, so you have some back up. What about Inuyasha?"

"I'll let him sleep, then leave a note in case he wakes up. Bring her back safely Miroku." Miroku smirked slightly and nodded solemnly. He turned from the door and closed his eyes, holding back a lone tear.

"Please be safe Sango. I don't know what I'd do if you were gone…" With that he searched for any tracks Sango left behind in the mud and took off into the foreboding night.

Sango couldn't stop now. As much as she wanted to return to her friends and cry on their shoulder, she considered herself a threat to them, so she continued running, ignoring the thorns that scraped across her shins, making her wince as she continued on. Finally after what seemed like hours of running, she couldn't take anymore and fell on the muddy forest floor panting heavily. She pulled Hiraikotsu off her back and stuck it in the ground next to her. She looked at her travel pack and decided to rid herself of anything she didn't need, after all, she'd be traveling light so it made sense to make it easier on her. She pulled out her hunting supplies, her taijiya outfit, and some snacks Kagome had given her when she last came through the well. The last thing was an intricately designed ring Miroku had given her as a promise that he would marry her after the whole ordeal with Naraku ended. She welled up with tears knowing she would likely never see Miroku or the others again. She changed out of her regular clothes into her slayer outfit and, with tears flowing freely, folded it with her promise ring and laid it by a nearby tree.

"Miroku… I'm so sorry, but I can't… I can't take the chance of betraying and possibly hurting you or the others. Even Kirara has to stay with them. She'll protect them well." A large bolt of lightning lit up the area, causing Sango to look around, making sure no one was following her. She stood slowly picking up her bag and Hiraikotsu. As she slung the large boomerang over her back, a faint cry could be heard over the rain.

"SANGO!" Miroku shouted into the dark night, taking a break from running at speeds even Inuyasha would have trouble keeping up with. Another large bolt of lightning illuminated the area, giving Miroku a split second's look around the area. Just before he couldn't see again, he caught a glimpse of a pile of colors next to a nearby tree, and tracks that led up to it. Miroku silently ran up to it, finding Sango's regular clothes and the ring he had given her.

"I had asked Kagome to get me a promise ring so I could give it to Sango." Miroku picked up the ring and placed it on his pinky finger. He then looked to the ground, and noticing no tracks after the clothes, raised his head to the trees and shouted at the top of his lungs over the rain

"Why Sango? Don't you want to be with me? Sango! Where are you? Please come out and talk to me! We can get through this together! Sango? SANGO!" Miroku shouted as he fell to the ground tears forcing their way down his cheeks. Sango watched from a few trees away, tears freely cascading down her face.

'Houshi-sama. Forgive me. I'm doing this to protect you. Please don't follow me.' With a new set of tears freshly falling, she stood and leapt from tree to tree, hiding her tracks to the north. A faint roar was heard from behind Miroku, causing the monk to turn around. Kagome and Kirara bounded up to Miroku and landed beside him.

"Any sign of Sango?" Miroku's eyes gave away his answer. Kagome's eyes started to tear and she jumped off of Kirara, ran into the forest and shouted into the dark night.

"Sango! Please come back to us! We need you here with us! Sango!" Kagome said, her voice faltering as she shouted. Miroku and Kirara walked up to Kagome and Kirara howled into the night as if asking her beloved mistress to return to her.

"We'll find her Kirara. Don't worry." Kagome said while stroking the cat demon's head. Kirara whimpered and turned back towards the campsite. Kagome climbed on her back and turned towards Miroku.

"We'll try again in the morning, Miroku. Right now the best we can do is get some sleep and wait until we can see well. At first light we'll resume the search." Miroku looked down at his hand, specifically his pinky finger and shed a tear which was quickly swept away by the rain. It was everything Miroku could do to get on Kirara and go back to the camp.

'I will find you Sango. I'll use whatever means necessary. I still don't understand why you ran. Is it because of the "betrayal" you said happened? That has to be it.'

"Miroku?" Kagome asked to get his mind out of the daze.

"Kagome, I understand your concern for Sango and waiting until daylight, but I have to go find her as soon as possible. I think she's still worried that she'd betray us again to save her brother, so that's why she left. Kagome, please, let's keep searching for a little while longer." He said pleadingly to Kagome, his voice faltering. Kagome also started to tear up and nodded her head in agreement.

"C'mon Kirara, let's look some more." The cat demon growled in acknowledgement and turned back towards the last place they searched.

"There has to be a sign of where she's going. We'll just have to track her down. Kirara can help sniff her out and before she left Sango showed me some tracking techniques that the slayers themselves use to find people or demons." Kagome said, trying to lighten up the mood a bit. It seemed to help Miroku a bit and he sighed solemnly.

"Thank you Kagome. That helped me calm me down. Let's go find Sango." With an encouraged nod, Kagome patted Kirara on the shoulder, signaling her to go faster.

Sango continued jumping from tree to tree, ignoring the stinging of the branches hitting her arms and legs. She miscalculated how far a branch was, slipped and tumbled down to the ground, landing hard on her shoulder. She cried out as she felt her shoulder separate. She was slow to get up, but managed to do so and continued on towards a village she could get some help from. She didn't notice, however, that a piece of her armor on her injured shoulder had broken off, leaving a pink reminder of where she had been. Once at a village, she was able to get lodging for the night and a doctor to look at her shoulder. The doctor and his apprentice entered the makeshift doctor's room and had Sango lie down.

"Now Miss Sango, I need you to lie very still so we can set your shoulder back. This will hurt but you must not tighten up, otherwise the shoulder won't go back. Koune, please stand on the other side of her." The doctor instructed as he prepared to set the shoulder. He grabbed Sango's injured shoulder gently and asked her to completely relax her shoulder. After a few seconds Sango felt a white hot pain run down her arm from her shoulder. She cried out and instinctively went to grab her injured shoulder, but the young apprentice held her down.

"There you go Miss Sango. I'm glad I could be of service to you. If you don't mind me asking, how did you injure yourself like this?"

"I was fleeing and slipped on a limb in the trees. I landed hard on my shoulder and then came here." The doctor looked at her for a second, then his eyes widened slightly.

"I remember now. Those uniforms are from a group of taijiya that came to a village I used to live in. What has become of the other slayers? I wish to thank the leader." Sango's eyes clouded with tears but was able to hold them back.

"I am the only survivor of my village. My family was killed by a demon called Naraku and my younger brother was forced into servitude by him. I'm fleeing from some friends because I don't wish to put them in any danger." The doctor solemnly nodded and opened his bag that was next to him. He pulled out several pouches of herbs and handed them to her.

"Don't worry about payment young taijiya. These herbs will cure many ailments, such as poisoning, sore limbs, and these two special herbs are said to have the ability to heal wounds in half the time they would normally heal and the other will increase your energy, giving you an extra boost in case you need it." Sango was stunned. No one had ever just given her such powerful tools to aid her, a total stranger. She smiled gratefully at the doctor.

"Thank you very much. If you ever need assistance, just call for me." The doctor nodded and stood, leaving Sango in her room to rest recuperate from her grueling ordeal.

"Miroku… please forgive me. I did it because I love you. Please understand." Sango said, hoping that somehow Miroku would somehow hear it even though they were so far apart. She shed a tear of sadness and regret and then closed her eyes, plummeting into a dreamless sleep.

Miroku punched a nearby tree. They had still been searching, but there had been no sign of the slayer anywhere.

"Anything Miroku?" Kagome asked hopefully. Miroku shook his head and fell to his knees, exhaustion setting in. Kagome helped Miroku to his feet and onto Kirara.

"Let's go back now. We've tried and we're both exhausted. We'll get Inuyasha to help us later." Miroku finally nodded in agreement and conceded to be taken back to the camp. As they landed, the rain seemed to pour all the harder, bringing Miroku's beaten spirit further down. He looked at the sleeping Shippo and Inuyasha, glad that they weren't brought into this just yet. He watched as Kagome kneeled by Sango's empty space where she once slept, a tear slowly sliding down her cheek. Kirara went by Kagome's side and rubbed her ankle. Kagome picked up the cat and set her by her own bed, giving Kirara someone to sleep next to. Miroku reluctantly lay down in the spot he left behind before looking for Sango.

'Sango… please… be safe and wait for me…' Miroku thought just before he fell into a restless sleep.

* * *

Okay guys, please let me know what you think! The more reviews I get, the more motivated I get to continue the story. 


	2. A Surprise Guest

Hey everyone, sorry for the long wait. Thanks to those that reviewed! To those that didn't, it helps my drive to finish the story if I get feedback on it. Any kind is good, except flames. Only constructive criticism if you have to be negative. Tell me what I'm doing wrong, not that you hate it. Okay, here's the story! Please Read and Review!!! Much love, Kiki.

* * *

Even before the sun came up she was preparing for her journey. She had lost her katana when she fell from the tree, but had prepared other things to barter for her journey. As the sun started to rise and the various shop owners opened their businesses for service, Sango stood ready with what little she had to get basic things for her journey. She ended up getting a quiver of arrows and a bow, a think robe, some dried food and some other various foods and spices with the money and items she traded. Once she returned to her room to pack everything she heard reports of a half demon, monk and a strange girl coming from the south from the various villagers chatting in the next room. 

"I need to hurry and get going, otherwise they'll find me." She continued packing with haste, hoping to leave the village as soon as possible. Just as she lifted Hiraikotsu onto her back, there was a knock at her door. She opened it to find the doctor staring at her strangely

"Miss Sango, are you sure you're okay to travel like this? Shouldn't you stay a day or two more to recuperate?" Sango shook her head.

"No, I must continue my journey now. The friends I have been fleeing are coming upon the village and I must leave." The doctor nodded solemnly.

"Well, if you must leave now, will you tell me where you are headed so I may check with other doctors in that area in case you need more medical attention?"

"I'm headed west in search of my brother Kohaku. He was kidnapped from me after he was possessed." The doctor nodded again and smiled at Sango.

"Well, you have my blessing of a safe journey. Try not to use that shoulder for a while." Sango smiled at the doctor and walked out of the inn, walking through the village and taking the north road towards the mountains. She had intentions of finding Kohaku, but not to the west. She first wanted to lose the others so she could focus on her mission.

"Still," she spoke out loud to herself, "I should at least explain myself to them. But if I show up in person who knows what will happen. I need to get it to them somehow." She glanced at her arrows then it clicked in her mind.

"I'll write a letter to them. But where am I going to find a clean scroll and ink?" She walked up to a shopkeeper and asked for a scroll and ink, and after reluctantly paying the money to obtain it, sat down and wrote a letter addressing the rest of the group, and then one to Miroku personally. After completing it, she stood and continued along her way, reaching a river just after evening settled in.

Meanwhile the others were already up and packing and Kagome had filled Inuyasha in on what had happened. Miroku continued to sulk around the campsite, barely acknowledging that anyone else was there. Inuyasha grumbled, walked up to the monk and hit him square on the head.

"Ow! What'd you do that for?" The monk asked rubbing the now large bump.

"Quit sulking around! She couldn't have gotten too far. Kirara's still here and Sango was just as tired as we were. Now hurry up and get a move on it. The sooner we get going, the sooner we can catch up to Sango." The hanyou exclaimed as he started to track her footprints.

"Hey Kagome, where did you last see her or a sign of her?" Kagome pointed out towards the spot where her and Miroku found her kimono and ring. The monk held back a sob as he clutched the ring he now carried around his neck. Before he could think of anything else besides his beloved, Shippo called out to Miroku, breaking his trace-like thoughts and making him turn towards the others.

"C'mon Miroku, we're going to see if there are anymore clues nearby." Miroku nodded and climbed onto a transformed Kirara's back.

'Sango, where are you? Why did you leave us? I will look for you, even if it means giving up looking for Naraku for a while. There are some things that are more important than one's life, and are worth searching for.' Kirara took off into the air, once again bringing the monk out of his daze. Inuyasha and Kagome reach the destination quicker and start looking for signs of the taijiya. Inuyasha went up to scout ahead while Kagome and Miroku searched the immediate area. The half-demon returned some time later with a piece of bone in his hand.

"Hey what color was Sango's armor?" Kagome quickly answered.

"Pink. Why? Did you find her armor?" Inuyasha held up the piece.

"Part of it. From what I can tell she was jumping the trees and slipped. She must have fallen pretty hard if it broke off a piece of her armor. I bet she was injured in the fall as well based on what I can see." Before anyone could say anything else, a loud scream was heard nearby. Inuyasha's ears perked up and his eyes narrowed.

"I smell blood." In an instant Kagome was back on Inuyasha's back and Kirara took off with Miroku and Shippo. Once they arrived at the source of the scream Kagome let out a gasp at what she saw. A bandit wielding a katana prepared to bring the weapon down on a villager. Inuyasha set Kagome down quickly and knocked the weapon out of the bandit's hands.

"What are you doing? Now you'll pay." Inuyasha promptly tied the bandit to a tree while Kagome helped the villager to his feet.

"Are you okay?" The villager shook his head nervously.

"Yes. I was farming and heard a strange noise, so I came to investigate. I found this bandit waiting to ambush me with his weapon." He pointed to the katana and sheath that lay nearby. Miroku retrieved it and looked at the blade.

"This isn't a normal blade a bandit would use. It's too intricately designed." Kagome took the sheath and glanced at the hilt.

"That's because it isn't a bandit's blade. The design on the hilt of the sheath is the same sign Sango has on her slayer outfit. She was nearby." Inuyasha turned towards the bandit and growled at him threateningly.

"Tell us the truth, where did you get that sword?" The bandit laughed loudly.

"I found it near an injured taijiya. She had already pulled herself up and left for the village, so I didn't press her. Slayers don't carry anything of value with them." Inuyasha punched the bandit hard, knocking him out.

"We're headed to the village. Let's go." Kagome and Miroku nodded and set off for the village with Inuyasha and the others. Once in the village, it was hard trying to find someone who had ever seen a taijiya, much less Sango herself. Just as they were about to give up, they decided to try one more person. They stopped a young man and asked him, expecting the same response as the others they had gotten. But much to their surprise, the young man did recognize the description.

"Yes, my master tended to her last night. Come, I'll take you to him." The apprentice led the group back to the doctor's hut. Everyone was on edge, half expecting her to be lying in bandages there. The young apprentice called out to his master that guests were there wishing to speak about Sango. The doctor opened the door.

"Welcome friends. Please come in. I have some news about your slayer friend." The group quickly filed in, wanting desperately to find the whereabouts of their friend.

"So tell me, good sir, what did you treat Sango for the other night?" Miroku calmly asked, hoping he was really a doctor and not some crackpot.

"I found her stumbling around the streets with a separated shoulder. I bought a room at the inn down the street and treated her there since it was closer. I treated her injured shoulder and left her to rest. I came back the next morning, but she had already packed up and was standing at the door when I entered. She told me not to stop her, and so I asked her where she was headed to. She said west since that's where her brother was. I didn't question her and she was on her way." Inuyasha huffed and stood abruptly.

"Thanks, but we need to be going as well. We need to catch up with her." Miroku stood as well, bowed respectfully and walked out the door solemnly. Kagome soon followed with a puzzled look on her face.

"Hold on guys, let's think about this for a second. Why would Sango deliberately give out information like that if she was trying to evade us? I think she's still headed north. Let's go look into it." Inuyasha nodded and turned to Miroku, who was still unusually quiet.

"Miroku, let's go. Are you sure you're okay?" Miroku looked up from his thoughts and nodded at the hanyou, forcing a smile.

"I was thinking. If Sango doesn't want to be found, why not just honor her wishes?" Kagome turned to the monk.

"Miroku?" Kagome questioned.

"All I'm saying is if she wishes to go alone, we must… respect her wish to go it alone..." Miroku's voice cracked and a single tear fell down his cheek.

"Are you sure? Once the decision is made, we don't change it." Inuyasha dealt. Miroku only closed his eyes and nodded.

"Yes I'm sure. She has her reasons, and I'm sure we'll meet back up with her eventually. Her brother Kohaku is in Naraku's grasp and we're going after Naraku. We will meet him along the way."

"But what if Sango is attacked? She's your fiancée! We can't just let her go like that without another question!" Kagome protested. Miroku turned from the rest of the group on his heel and walked quickly towards a food stand, proceeding to buy some food for the next journey to find Naraku.

"Kagome, listen to me," Inuyasha said to the confused miko.

"Miroku wants to go after Sango just as bad, if not worse, than you, but he has a point. If she doesn't want to be found, then she won't be found. You've heard her tales of how the taijiya were just as skilled as the ninjas in their cloaking techniques. Not even my nose would be able to pick up her scent. She will meet back up with us one day, I'm sure of it. Sango can take care of herself better than any of us can on our own." Kagome sighed heavily and walked away from Inuyasha, going past Miroku as well, who had just come back from buying the food. Kirara and Shippo followed behind her.

"What happened?" The monk asked quietly. Inuyasha shook his head.

"Nothing important, just explaining things to her from a guy's perspective. Let's head out." Inuyasha started walking the direction Kagome went, leaving Miroku to tag along behind. Near evening they settled down near a river just northeast of the village.

Sango trudged through the water in the river, making sure she was plenty far away from where she entered it. She sensed a demonic aura and two beings with spiritual powers nearby.

"That must be Inuyasha and the others. I'll go make sure everything's ok before I leave and deliver my letters to them." Sango climbed up out of the shallows of the river and spread a special rub of herbs on her outfit and skin. This was to mask her scent from Inuyasha's sensitive nose. She placed her belongings in the truck of a rotted tree nearby and took her quiver of arrows and bow with her, along with the two letters to the others. She found them not too far from where she had left her belongings, finishing up their meal and sitting by the campfire, talking to each other. Inuyasha was getting lectured by Kagome about how he should be grateful she cooks for them, and Shippo and Kirara were playing off to the side. Sango then turned her attention to Miroku, who sat against a tree, eyes closed, thinking to himself. Sango's stomach turned upside down and her heart skipped a beat, her body longing to go back to Miroku's side. She shook her head as if to clear her mind, and carefully and quietly made her way around to the opposite side of the camp. She didn't want them to find out where the arrow came from and follow her straight to her belongings. Carefully positioning herself behind two giant tree limbs, she took one letter, rolled it up to where the writing wouldn't get damaged, and stuck the arrow through the letter. She did the same for the Miroku's letter. She then aimed the arrows so one would be higher than the other when it hit its target. Pulling back on the drawstring, she took a deep breath, prayed they would hit, and let fly the arrows. One hit the tree closest to Kagome at the middle, and the other significantly higher, so Kagome would grab the letter addressed to all of them first. When the arrows hit their marks, Sango jumped into the trees and made her exit. Inuyasha and Kagome immediately stopped arguing and jumped to attention. Miroku's eyes shot open and jumped up, ready to fight if need be. Inuyasha ran in the direction the arrows came from, and Kagome examined the arrows themselves. She pulled the first letter off of the arrow and read it. Inuyasha and Miroku came back just in time to see Kagome's face go white.

"What is it? What's wrong Kagome?" Inuyasha asked the young miko.

"It's Sango."


	3. Memories

Sorry for taking so long. College really does weird stuff to you. Please enjoy the chapter! Oh, and the song for this chapter will be Memories by Within Temptation. For the full effect, I recommend listening to that song while reading, especially when the letters are read.

* * *

The only thing that could be heard was the crackling of the fire. Miroku went cold. Did he just hear right? Was it really Sango who had sent that message? The monk swallowed hard and took a deep breath. 

"Kagome, is it really Sango? What did she say? Is she coming back?" Kagome looked from the others to the letter. After scanning over it quickly she turned to the hopeful monk and shook her head no, crushing what little hope he had of her changing her mind. There was a deathly silence as Kagome continued to read the letter. Finally after what seemed like an eternity Inuyasha broke the silence.

"So are you gonna read the stupid letter or not?" Kagome narrowed her eyes at Inuyasha.

"I'll say it."

"Say what?"

"Siiii…."

"Okay, okay! Let up!" Kagome glanced up at Miroku going to the other tree to retrieve the other letter. After a bit of effort, the letter found its way into the houshi's hands. However, he didn't open the letter, he just turned to Kagome.

"Go ahead and read your letter first." Kagome nodded and started to read the letter out loud.

"Dear everyone,

I know the past day has been a tough one on you all. I am sorry for worrying you, but I want you to know what is going on so you can understand why I left. I want to start off by saying that it has nothing to do with anyone offending me. In actuality, you all have been such sources of strength, comfort and hope that I cannot begin to explain how grateful I am to each one of you. Though you all have brought comfort and protection to me, I cannot guarantee that same protection to you. You all know my history and what I have done. I can't stand the thought of betraying you again, you who have provided so much for me. What kind of payback is that? So that is why I have decided to offer the best protection I can: not allowing myself to become tempted to betray you all again. That is why I have left. I understand if you still don't believe or don't want to believe that I am not coming back now, but please understand this: as hard as it is for you to not have me there, it's harder for me to be away from you guys. I have some leads on Kohaku's whereabouts, so for now I'll be searching for him and Naraku. If I find Kohaku and I'm able to bring him back, then I will return sooner. If I find Naraku before, then I will send for you all.

Kagome, please keep the boys in line. I know you can handle anything that comes your way. Stay strong, for yourself, and if you have any left over, save some strength for me.

Inuyasha, thanks for watching over me all those times in battle. The sooner we find Naraku, the sooner we can set everything right again. Oh and don't go being a baka to Kagome, Shippo or Kirara." Inuyasha stared at the ground and huffed at that.

"Shippo, you're doing a great job of keeping everything together. Keep it up.

"Kirara, I want you to stay with the others. If you find Kohaku before I do, protect him then come find me, okay? Be a good girl while I'm away.

Please don't come after me. I need to do this task alone. For your sake and mine please heed my request. The second letter I sent is a letter to Houshi-sama, so please make sure he gets it. I know we'll meet again dear friends. Please don't forget me, for my memories will always keep you near and dear to me.

-Sango

After Kagome finished reading the letter, she dropped her arms to her sides. Inuyasha looked up at her, smelling the silent tears that now fell from her eyes. The hanyou walked over to her and pulled her into a gentle, comforting hug. Shippo stood next to Kirara, also silently shedding tears. The demon cat turned to Shippo and mewed, as if trying to offer comforting words to the young kitsune. Miroku never shifted from his spot standing in the grass. His head hung low, his bangs falling over his eyes. He tried not to shed any tears. After all, they were going to see each other again, right? His fists clenched tight, wrinkling the letter that was addressed to him personally from his dear Sango. He almost didn't want to read the letter, fearful that it will be another bad news letter, asking to end the engagement. Kagome wiped away her tears and pulled away from Inuyasha, muttering a silent thank you before walking over to Miroku. She placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort, and that was it for Miroku. He buried his head in the miko's shoulder and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, not her waist like he had tried before. Inuyasha grunted softly but Kagome turned her head towards him, scolding him. Miroku was oblivious to this all. He didn't wish to be perverted right now. He just wanted some comfort from this ordeal. Kagome could hear Miroku catch sobs in his throat before they could make their escape. The wind started to pick up around them, blowing cinders and flakes of fire around the group. Shippo shuddered. After Miroku had regained his composure he stood straight and looked at the letter he had clutched so tightly in his hand. The wind ruffled the edges of the letter around his left hand. He turned his hand around, looking at the rings that were on his fingers. One ring, on his ring finger, was designed with the four seasons surrounding a heart in the middle. Every season, my love will stay the same, no matter what. On his little finger was a ring similar to that, only the top half of the band was decorated with roses. Sango's ring she had left him. Fresh tears threatened to spring in his eyes, memories of the day he gave that ring to Sango beginning to surface in his mind. He shook his head sharply, hoping that those memories will be shaken out of his head. He looked once again at the letter in his hand. He brought it to his face and breathed in. It smelled of Sango's sweet perfume she wore often. The wind continued to pick up until the gusts threatened to blow everyone over.

"We need to get some kind of shelter set up in case rain comes again." Inuyasha suggested. He ran off into the surrounding wood to look for something suitable to use as cover from the rain in the event it decided to pour down on the group. Meanwhile Kagome decided to inspect what Miroku had in his hand.

"Miroku-sama, are you going to read your letter?" Miroku smiled half-heartedly at Kagome and then looked at his letter.

"Yes, Kagome-sama. I will. I just need a minute." Kagome nodded and walked over to Shippo who was still upset over the letter. Miroku went to the tree where he pulled the letter from. He opened his hand and uncrumpled the letter. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and then opened his eyes and began reading.

My Dearest Houshi-sama,

I'm sorry for what I have done to you. A hurt like this doesn't go unnoticed. I understand if you want to break off the engagement, but just know that if you want to take me back, I'll be waiting at the end of the road. Even if you don't reciprocate my feelings, just know you were the first and will be the only person that I will care deeply for with all my heart. I hope that one day very soon I will be able to join you in your travels and maybe one day after that, if you still wish it, come and live with you like you asked me. After all of this fighting, it will feel nice to settle down and start a family.

If you read nothing else in this letter, please read this: I haven't given up on you. Please don't give up on me. I don't know what I'd do if… nevermind. I wanted to say one thing before I end this letter. I know this'll be the first time I say this, but I needed to say it in case something happened to either of us before we meet again.

I love you.

Your Taijiya,

Sango

Miroku was silent, but his mind was racing. She still wanted to marry him? But why did she give him her ring? Why didn't she ask him to come along with her? She couldn't possibly think that something would happen to them, could she? A large pop in the fire brought him back to reality. Kagome tended the fire with a stick, creating the pop. She turned to Miroku who now was perplexed with staring at the fire. Kagome waved her hand in front of Miroku's face, breaking the stupor he was in.

"Yes, Kagome-sama?"

"What did Sango-chan say?"

"That she was fine and she'd see me later on the journey." Kagome nodded hopefully and looked up at the moon, now high up in the night sky. She yawned and turned to Shippo.

"Alright kiddo, time for bed. For all of us." She looked at Miroku, who was now staring at the moon much like Kagome had been before. Inuyasha came back with some giant branches and some logs. After he set up the shelter over Kagome and the fire, he took his place outside the covering and closed his eyes.

"Inuyasha, why are you sleeping outside the covering? If it rains, you'll get wet." Kagome said to the hanyou. Inuyasha just huffed.

"Feh, I'll take my chances." Kirara transformed and curled around Kagome and Shippo who were quickly getting more tired by the minute. Miroku settled down by the fire and closed his eyes, prepared for a restless sleep. He still clutched the letter Sango had written tightly to his chest.

* * *

Please review! The ones I get inspire me to continue even more. Thanks to all who have reviewed so far! If there are any suggestions for this story, PLEASE let me know, but only be constructive, not destructive. 


	4. Shinata

Sorry for the long wait, but here it is! It should be a lot beter than my chapters thus far. A whopping 6 pages! That's pretty good for me for just one chapter! Please don't forget to review and let me know what you think! I've been on a rap trip for a while, so if the story picks up a bit, that's probably why. Enjoy! Oh, before I forget, I don't own anything except the plot and Shinata. I'll have a profile of Shinata up shortly on my profile.

* * *

The grass glowed in its bright hue of summer, blown softly by a gentle breeze that whipped around the blades of grass. The sunrise was bright, signaling a great day was about to begin. If only that's how it really felt to Sango. The weight of her running away was still keeping a tight hold on her heart and she sighed, as if to try and slough off a bit of that weight. Seeing the surprised look on her love's face before she had fled again was almost too much for her to bear. It took all of her will power not to run to him, but away back to her mini-camp. She had held back tears until she was back at her camp, then fell into a restless sleep. A light rain had fallen that night, making it hard to stay warm, despite the fire she had started. Since then, however, the rain had dispersed and the now mid-morning sun shown down brightly, hoping to lighten the spirits of a certain taijiya. Sango, despite running away, was truly hopeful of meeting up with the others again soon and hopefully fighting Naraku with her brother by her side. Just the thought of finally focusing on her brother and looking solely for him lightened her spirits more than anything. As she finished packing her sack with her belongings a bird flew over her and landed on a tree, showing off its beautifully colored feathers to anyone who would look. Sango watched the bird for a minute, then hoisted her pack onto her shoulders and continued north, and at the same time heading slightly east. 

"I hope that lead to Kohaku was right. I can't afford to make too many wild goose chases, but then again, I can't afford not to try as many as I can. I guess I can go back to being a slayer-for-hire to earn some money." She thought out loud to herself as she saw a small village with a tall pillar of smoke coming out of the center of the area. Sounds like that of a cry for help were coming from the small village, and for all she knew, Sango was the only one who could do anything. The village looked too small to have any real protection. Adrenaline started to course through her veins, and she hoisted Hiraikotsu on her shoulder and started running towards the village. Just as she reached the small village a rather large minotaur-like demon ran out on his hind legs holding a young girl. She appeared to be no older than her brother, but she was scarred on one side of her face and had a rather large gash on her shoulder and her thigh. She wore a bright pink kimono with a light blue stripe that was slowly becoming a shade of purple with the mix of blood on the blue. Sango slid to a halt in front of the demon; anger and confusion clear in her chocolate eyes.

"Who are you? What are you doing with the girl?" The demon turned his head to her and laughed openly and loud.

"Foolish girl! I am the great demon Niu Wang, and you will pay for thinking you can talk to me like that!" He tossed the girl to the side where she landed on a cart full of fruit.

"Stay there girl! If you move I'll kill you slowly." Sango narrowed her eyes at the bull-man.

"Hey you! Tell me. Are you from the Continent?" The demon faced Sango once again and smirked.

"How very observant of you. You must know then that I am much more powerful than any low-life demon you'll find around here. I came from the far reaches of the Continent, searching for just the right girl to become my bride. I finally found her, and now I'll have a wife and a concubine!" Sango scowled at him as he laughed and closed his eyes. He didn't deserve anything more than a swift kick in the-

"Of course, if you want to trade your life for hers, I'm sure we could come to some sort of understanding. You're not much to look at, but-" He was cut short by a swift kick to the jaw. The beast recoiled and got down on all fours, charging at Sango with speed even Inuyasha would have difficulty with. Sango barely avoided being gored by the bull, but her sash caught on the bull's horn, yanking her down and dragging her across the rugged terrain. Sango whipped out her dagger she kept hidden on her arm and cut the sash, disconnecting her from the beast. Niu Wang stopped, stood on his hind legs again and pulled out several small daggers. He threw them at Sango who couldn't avoid them. Two cut her shoulder and arm while one slashed her cheek and others grazed her. Niu Wang then brandished a large sword that was shaped like a bull's horn. He charged at the slayer ready to slice her in half. Sango turned on her heel, ran to Hiraikotsu and yanked it from its place in the ground as Niu Wang was gaining on her. Just before Niu Wang brought his sword down, Sango pivoted on her heel and used Hiraikotsu to block the sword from slicing her left arm in half. She brought her arm dagger over and was able to sliced Niu Wang straight across the stomach. The youkai laughed in response and grabbed her arm. He picked her up by her arm and brought her halfway up his body's height.

"Foolish girl! You honestly thought you could defeat me?" Before Sango could respond Niu Wang punched her swiftly in the stomach, sending her flying into a nearby building. The minotaur chuckled to himself as he turned to face the young girl.

"Now my dear, if you come with me without trouble, I may spare your life. If not, well, you saw what I did to that wench." He said motioning to the building Sango landed in. The girl just shook her head and jumped from the cart. She kneeled down on her knees in front of Niu Wang.

"Please Sir, I will go with you, but I must beseech you let me at least give the woman a proper burial. To have battled one as powerful as you, for the time she did battle, she deserves at least a burial." The bull snorted, closed his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Very well, but make it quick! We leave after midday." The girl bowed respectfully and ran towards the building. The girl entered the hole Sango made when she crashed into the building and coughed at the amount of dust still in the air. From what she heard about her, this slayer couldn't be defeated that easily. She squinted her eyes to keep the dust out and gently scuffled her feet on the ground so as not to step on Sango. She called out for the slayer and was replied to by a small groan. The girl ran to where the noise came from and was shocked to find Sango lying on the ground bleeding profusely from several critical looking wounds. The young girl cleared the debris off of Sango and picked her up under her arms. She pulled her over to a futon that stood nearby and pulled her up with a lot of effort. Sango let out a painful groan and opened her eyes.

"What happened?"

"Don't move. You're injured quite badly. You're the taijiya, Sango, correct?" Sango ignored the young girl's request to lay still and sat up, concealing her hidden weapon.

"Who wants to know?" She half asked, half groaned out. She hadn't felt this bad since her brother had first been possessed.

"Kohaku sent me to find his sister Sango." This got the taijiya's complete attention. She snapped her head to the young girl.

"How do you know Kohaku? Who are you?" The young girl turned away from Sango.

"M-my name is Shinata. I met Kohaku a while back. He saved me when I fell into some rapids escaping a demon that killed my family and half our village. We became good friends and spent most of our days working side by side earning money. One day he said he had to go. He wouldn't explain why, even after I begged him." Sango was listening intently. Any news of her brother spending time with others was good news.

"He said he couldn't explain, but if I was able to find his sister Sango, she could keep me safe and that if I stayed with her, then we would meet again for sure. After that, he gave me the money he had earned then left without another word. So I packed some food and left, searching for her. If you aren't her, then I have no choice but to go with Niu Wang now. If I don't, I will surely be killed." Shinata caught a sob in her throat as a lone tear slid down her cheek. Sango placed a comforting hand on Shinata's shoulder and made to stand. Shinata jumped up and put her hands out to stop her.

"No you mustn't! You can barely sit up, much less fight!" Sango brushed the young girl's hands away.

"And what will happen if I do? I have to defeat Niu Wang so you won't have to go with him. I'm sure Kohaku wouldn't be too happy if he learned a friend of his was taken away." Sango smiled at Shinata. Shinata nodded smiling as well.

"Now Shinata tell me, where is Niu Wang now? What is he doing?" Shinata ran over to the hole and looked out to find the bull lying down on his side resting.

"Perfect. Shinata, I now need you to retrieve my Hiraikotsu. That's the only way I can defeat him for sure." Shinata waved a hand to acknowledge her and took off quietly towards the giant boomerang. Niu Wang heard her footsteps though and opened his eyes.

"What are you doing with the weapon girl? Are you done burying the slayer yet?" Shinata stopped and bowed towards the minotaur.

"Not yet master, but I'm almost done. I just have to lay the boomerang over her grave." Niu Wang snorted.

"Well hurry up! We leave soon." Shinata nodded coolly and lifted the boomerang. She was able to hoist it over the opening where it landed with a thud next to the concealed Sango. The taijiya quietly picked up Hiraikotsu and readied herself for battle once again.

"Shinata, stay here. If it looks like I'm going to be defeated, run away as fast as you can and find Inuyasha the half demon and Kagome the miko. I'll give you enough time to escape." Shinata acknowledged her request reluctantly and hid away where she wouldn't get in the way. Sango stealthily was able to get into just the right position to strike Niu Wang and let fly her weapon. Niu Wang heard the boomerang and tried to dodge it, but to no avail. Hiraikotsu slammed into the chest of Niu Wang, dealing some damage to him, but it didn't pierce him. He moved out the way before it did any more damage and if continued its path back to Sango.

"You little wench! How did you survive?" Sango smirked as she caught Hiraikotsu.

"I can't be defeated that easily. A mere punch is nothing compared to the hits I've taken from worse than the likes of you. I don't have time for small fries like you." Niu Wang snorted and growled at Sango, preparing to charge at her once again. Sango just waited. Niu Wang got on all fours and, with a massive roar, charged at the slayer.

'Just a little more.' Sango kept her cool as Niu Wang charged full speed to her. Shinata peered out after hearing the roar from Niu Wang. She saw Sango just standing there and reacted by shouting at the slayer. This was able to get Niu Wang's attention off of Sango for a split second, just long enough for Sango to jump up, before Niu Wang gored her, and swing her arm around to land on Niu Wang's back. The minotaur became even more infuriated and started bucking, trying to throw Sango off. The slayer reacted by activating her arm scythe and slicing open the back of Niu Wang's neck. She then reversed the dagger and plunged it into the minotaur's neck, severing his spinal cord. The demon immediately dropped to the ground, lifeless. Sango, knowing that most demons didn't die by just severing their neck, proceded to take Niu Wang's head. She called out to Shinata.

"Shinata, look away! I don't want you seeing this." Shinata obliged and looked away as Sango decapitated Niu Wang. After she finished the deed, she burned the demon, ensuring it couldn't come back to hurt anyone. Sango called out to Shinata and they went to a nearby hot spring to wash up from the day's events.

"So you never answered my question. You are Sango, right?"

"Yes. From now on, you can travel with me to find my brother. Kohaku was kind to you then?" Shinata smiled and nodded, a light blush crossing her cheeks.

"Yes, he was kind. To be honest, we had talked of possibly being together." Sango's eyes widened.

"Really?" Shinata nodded.

"Yes, but before we could talk about anything, he said he had to go, but he'd be back one day. I didn't understand, and I still don't fully understand, but I trust Kohaku's word. We will meet again." Sango couldn't help but admire the hope Shinata had. She also couldn't help but envy the girl for the naiveté she had on Kohaku's situation.

"Shinata, you should know something. There's more to Kohaku than meets the eye." Sango and Shinata finished washing up and set up a spot to eat by a nearby stream. Sango stayed up for some time explaining Kohaku's story to the young girl. After the story was told, Shinata was in disbelief.

"So, where did he go?"

"Most likely back to Naraku." Shinata closed her eyes.

"How can he continue to do such things? Even if he is being controlled, he must have some sense of right and wrong. I mean, he seemed to know when he saved me."

"That's how Naraku works. When he summons Kohaku, Kohaku loses control of his body and follows Naraku's orders. When he isn't under Naraku's direct control, he has control and can function like a normal person."

"So are you planning to defeat Naraku?"

"Yes. I have to. For Kohaku's sake, as well as mine." Was Sango's reply. Shinata couldn't be certain, but she could see a mix of determination, pain, and rage in Sango's eyes.

'To have gone through the pain of losing her family and still be able to wake up and fight everyday for the freedom of Kohaku is an incredible feat indeed.' She held an even greater respect for the slayer than she first had.

"I also have to warn you Shinata. Coming along with me means you'll have to endure lots of challenges. Are you willing?" Shinata smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

"Can you teach me how to defend myself?" Sango nodded in agreement and lost no time in beginning to teach the young girl about the history and different techniques the slayers use. Soon the two girls were lost in explanation and learning, and soon it was time for camp to be set up for the night.

* * *

So what do you like better? Long waiting periods with longer chapters, or shorter waiting times but shorter chapters? Let me know what you think about that and my story by reviewing please! I really appreciate all the reviews I've gotten so far, and I hope to get more! 


	5. I Want To Help Him

Here's the next chapter. It's a short one, but it's a significant scene in the story. I see I've been getting a lot of hits on these chapters, but barely any reviews at all. A little input would be nice on your thoughts of this story. Is it good, does it need improvement? Anything (except stupid bashings) would be nice. I know I can speak for most all the author's here when I say reviews really help said author's to continue their stories. Thanks for reading this (if you did), and enjoy the next chapter! I don't own the characters, yada yada, just the plotline and Shinata.

* * *

"Shinata can I see your injuries?" Sango asked the young girl. Shinata half-smiled and pulled up her yukata to reveal a rather large gash on her right leg. There were several other scratches and cuts, considerably less serious than the one on her leg. Sango cringed at the sight of the cut, but quickly wiped it off her face and put on a smile for Shinata. 

"I know what'll cure this." The slayer pulled out the medicinal herbs the doctor had given her and took out a pouch with many different colored, crushed herbs. She added a cream to them and mixed it in her hand.

"This may sting a bit." Sango smeared some on the cut, eliciting a sharp intake of air from Shinata. Sango smiled.

"Be brave. You can handle it." After she was done dressing the wound she set to wrapping the leg and tending to Shinata's other surface wounds. Soon Sango was done and set to searching the decimated village for anything she could use. Everywhere she turned, there were either dead bodies of humans and animals or piles of debris covering the road she walked on. Spotting a large house ahead to her right, she motioned for Shinata to follow her and jogged towards the house. Through the piles of wood and belongings scattered around, she found a katana in the house and quite a bit of money. She placed it in a pouch and turned to Shinata, who was still following behind her.

"I think this is all we'll be able to get from here. There were no other houses like this in the village. We'll go to the next big town and spend the night there so we can get some proper rest." Shinata smiled happily at Sango.

"I know where a big town is. It's not too far from here. We'll be in the outskirts and farming areas just before dinner time." It was Sango's turn to smile and she motioned for Shinata to lead the way.

After the village was out of sight, Shinata began to wonder about Kohaku and wonder why he had made her come find his sister instead of going with him.

"Sango-sama? About Kohaku. What exactly did he mean by telling me to find you? He said you could explain it to me." Sango's back stiffened a little bit as she recalled the memories of Kohaku killing countless people in the name of Naraku. Sango took a deep breath.

"Well Shinata, it all started when the demon Naraku possessed Kohaku. He forced Kohaku to kill my father and comrades when we were on a mission. It was all a set by Naraku to wipe out the demon slayers. I was attacked by Kohaku as well, but survived. The guards at the castle we were working in killed Kohaku, thinking he had gone mad. When I came to, I overheard the lord of the castle talking to Naraku about who had killed the rest of my village. Naraku lied and said it was a hanyou by the name of Inuyasha. He wanted me to kill Inuyasha so no one could stop him. I battled him but found out the truth before the battle got too out of hand. We went to the nearest village and found it had been destroyed as well, but it was Kohaku that had killed them all. Since then, I have seen him occasionally, and each time I try to talk to him, Naraku tightens his grip on Kohaku's soul and makes Kohaku fight me. Then, just as quickly as he appears, Kohaku disappears back to Naraku's castle, wherever that is." Sango said shakily. She had never actually told anyone Kohaku's full story before, and this first time was doing numbers on her emotions. Shinata twisted her face in confusion.

"But you said Kohaku died? How did he come back to life?"

"Naraku used a shard of the sacred Shikon Jewel and implanted it in his back. If the shard is taken out, Kohaku will die. That's why I'm fighting Naraku. I have to save Kohaku from that monster." Sango said through gritted teeth. Shinata, sensing Sango's rage, fell silent, not wishing to provoke bitter memories of Naraku or Kohaku anymore. Shinata stopped near the top of a hill they came upon. Sango stopped before she ran into the young girl.

"Shinata?"

"Sango-sama, teach me how to fight and defend myself. I want to help fight Naraku." Sango was taken aback. Shinata actually was still concerned about Kohaku? Most any other person would have run away by now, scared that their life would be taken away when Naraku showed up again.

"Okay, I'll teach you, but understand this. It took me years to learn how to develop my skills. You will be learning in a fraction of the time. I'm not going to hold back when we spar either, understand?" Shinata nodded eagerly, ready to learn all she could.

"We will start in the morning, after we've had some food and sleep. I can see the village from here. Let's go." Sango took the lead towards the village where some much needed food and rest awaited them.

* * *

Well, that's it for now. I've had to adjust to my new class schedule, but if all goes well, there should be a new chapter every week. Thanks to all the reviewers! You guys are my inspiration! 

At least 5 reviews garners the next chapter...


	6. An Unexpected And Unwanted Visitor

Sorry for the late post. I've seen a whole bunch of hits, but I got like only a couple reviews for it. I'd like to see more reviews and requests for anything you'd like to see are now accepted!!! So put in something you'd like to see and I'll see where it could fit!! And, just so ya know, I don't own Inuyasha and flames will be used to roast the marshmallows I make for smores. You're welcome to have some smores though, but for now, here's the next chapter!!

* * *

"I'm going to the scout for next village to see about any leads on Naraku. I won't be long." Miroku said pulling away from the rest of the group, who was slowing down to stop for lunch. Kagome nodded happily as Inuyasha threw down some brush and wood to begin a fire. Shippo called out to Miroku that he was coming with him to "keep him in check", leaving Kagome and Inuyasha alone. Kirara was off to the river, probably fishing for her lunch.

"Inuyasha, what are we gonna do?" Inuyasha huffed and jumped up into a tree as Kagome lit a match to the fire.

"I'm not doing anything, and you shouldn't either. Just leave it be. We'll catch back up with her when we find Naraku. So don't worry over it, Kagome, or I'll send you back through the well until that happens." Kagome frowned at his reply.

"I just can't understand your pacifist nature about the situation. What if something really bad happens to her? She doesn't have Kirara. She's all alone! What if the tables were turned Inuyasha? What if it was me that left? What would you do?" Inuyasha glared darkly at Kagome, sending a cold shudder down her spine.

"You know exactly what I'd do. Sango's strong. She can take care of herself. She knows what she's getting into and she's prepared to handle it. She wants to protect us from unnecessary attacks, whether by her hand or Naraku's." Kagome, upset by Inuyasha's words, turned away and headed towards the river.

"I'm going to find Kirara." She stormed off, leaving Inuyasha to his thoughts.

"That darn Inuyasha! Why can't he be more worried about her? I know she can take care of herself and all, but she shouldn't have gotten that upset. If she's still in that state, it can blur her senses. She could get hurt and no one would be able to help." She kicked a stone in the path, sending it over a small hill just ahead. She heard a hiss, and then saw Kirara emerge from the other side, a large fish in her mouth.

"I'm sorry Kirara! Did I hit you when I kicked that stone?" Kirara mewed through the fish in her mouth, causing Kagome to chuckle a bit.

"You miss Sango, don't you?" The demon cat whined quietly.

"Don't worry though, we'll find her. She wouldn't leave us for too long." She went to pet the cat, but a strong wind suddenly overtook them. It threatened to blow Kagome away, and Kirara dropped her fish and stood in front of the miko, protecting her from the powerful gust. Inuyasha jumped through the tops of some nearby trees with his sword drawn.

"Kagome, stay back. Kagura, show yourself!" The wind sorceress appeared from behind a tree across the river, chuckling to herself.

"So Inuyasha, what brings you to this area? In search of Naraku still? Or is your group still distraught over the disappearance of your slayer friend?" Kagome gasped.

"How do you know about Sango?" Kagura smirked at Kagome's startled response.

"I know much more than you think. She was attacked just a couple of days ago by a demon from the mainland." Inuyasha growled at the demon sorceress.

"Even if she was attacked, she would win no sweat."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, half-demon. Just before I left, she was losing terribly to a bull demon named Niu Wang. She didn't look like she would last much longer, especially with the way she was holding her shoulder." Kagome let out another worried gasp.

"No. That's a lie."

"If it is, then she had gained outside help, but seeing as you all didn't know about it, I doubt it is a false statement. I just wish I could've stayed to watch it all play out."

"Take that back Kagura." Everyone turned to find Miroku standing a short distance away, silent rage apparent in his dark eyes.

"Monk, I thought you would have kept looking for her. Surprising." She said, an evil smugness beginning to cross her face. Miroku sneered at Kagura and went for his wind tunnel.

"What is your business here Kagura? Or did you come just to perish early?" The wind sorceress chuckled and held up her fan in defense.

"I didn't come to just taunt you, you know. If I wanted to, I could've killed you all in an instant, but I have an important message from Naraku, so listen closely." Everyone was taken aback by this statement, and was, needless to say, listening intently to what Kagura had to say.

"Naraku will be summoning you. When it is, even I don't know. He says to be ready. He is expecting to create a complete sacred jewel when he meets with you." Inuyasha growled and jumped at Kagura, moving to strike her with the Wind Scar. Kagura, however, quickly blew a burst of dirt into his face, temporarily blinding him. She then took her leave, leaving the group with stunned expressions. A deathly silence enveloped the group. Inuyasha, not knowing exactly what to say, decided to say the first thing that came to mind.

"Well, looks like we have some work to do."

* * *

You know what to do! Please send me some reviews, at least 7. That's all I ask, cause I know I get many times more than that in hits. Thanks to all that have reviewed to far, and please keep them coming! Remember, you can now put in what you'd like to see happen in this story, and I'll see if I can make it happen here!!!

-YG06


	7. The Moment of Truth

**Hey everyone! Words cannot express how sorry I am that I haven't been able to update in forever!! School's been evil, but if all goes well, I may have the story done by tomorrow! I'm finishing this as my final for my Creative Writing class, so all should be well! If you want to flame me for being a mean author and not updating, I totally understand, lol. Now, enough of my idle chatter, on with the next chapter!**

* * *

Punch. Block. Kick. Jab. Back-flip. The match seemed to go on forever as the two girls continued the fight. The brunette ducked as the black haired girl tried to connect a right jab. The brunette then stuck out a leg and swung it, causing the other girls' legs to suddenly switch places with her upper body. She landed on her back with a thud, a small grunt escaping her lips. The black haired girl jumped up to her feet and, using her momentum to carry her, brought her fist towards the other girl's face. Her opponent saw this and rolled away to the side just before her hand hit the ground. The dark haired girl winced and grunted as her hand made a small dent in the semi-soft ground. She looked over to where the other was just as a swift kick connected with her stomach, lifting her off the ground a few feet. The brunette girl stood triumphantly smirking to herself, thinking she had won, and turned to go sit under a tree. The black haired girl stood up slowly as to not give herself away to the other. She swiftly but silently crept up behind her opponent who didn't realize she was being stalked until it was too late. The black haired girl wrapped her arms up and under the others, pulling her into a firm lock. The older girl struggled, but the younger girl held her grip, tightening her grip little by little. With one final effort, the older girl fell to her knees.

"Okay okay!!! I give!!" The younger girl let go and laughed tiredly, moving and sitting down slowly on the grass, while the other got on hands and knees and crawled to her original destination.

"Shinata, you have to work on not letting your guard down. I pulled my kick, but I could tell that it still did some damage." The brunette said to Shinata.

"I could say the same thing Sango. Your weakness, though, is that you assume too much. Plus, you need to learn how to break the locks I put you into." There was a small silence as the two girls caught their breath. On a recent night trip to the slayers village, Sango sought out some new armor to replace her damaged armor. She chose a ceremonial suit that was meant for when she succeeded her father as leader of the taijiya, or slayers. The armor covering her shoulders, abdomen and knees was made from the hide and bones of a powerful demon she exterminated before, making it stronger than her old armor. The newer armor had a golden hue to it, with royal blue bordering the gold. Her sash she wore around her waist was royal blue to match the border. The gold emblem she wore on the left side of her chest was still there, creating some contrast with the dark blue color that was now there. The black body suit she once adorned was now replaced with a white one. Her sword's hilt and handle was gold and white, and the sheath itself was also pure white to match the handle. Shinata, in contrast, had chosen a black bodysuit with sky blue armor covering her shoulders, abdomen and knees as well. Her sash was a midnight blue to match the laces of her boots and the ties holding her armor in place. The sash concealed two small throwing knives and a katana on her left side. Two more throwing knives in her boots completed the outfit. Sango was impressed with Shinata's choice in close combat weapons. Sango herself had never been too accurate with small knives and such. The older slayer smiled at her apprentice and chuckled to herself lightly. This was going to be some adventure.

Sango stood and scouted the immediate area, suddenly becoming quiet. Shinata took the hint and stopped moving.

"C'mon, I sense a demonic aura around here." Shinata picked up her weapon, a small, double ended halberd, and followed closely behind. Adrenaline began coursing through their bodies as they neared the source of the aura. Tightening her grip on Hiraikotsu, Sango tensed up, putting all her senses on alert. Not only would she have to look out for herself, but now Shinata as well. Sango had taught her herself, true, but Shinata still had a lot to learn about the ways of the taijiya. Holding up a hand to stop the young girl behind her, Sango closed her eyes, heightening her hearing.

"Shinata, duck!" That was all the young girl heard before being thrown down onto the ground. A spear came whizzing overhead, just missing Shinata's shoulder, but slicing through the side of Sango's left arm. The older girl had jumped on top of the younger to protect her from the impending danger. Sango bit one side of her lower lip, successfully holding back a loud cry of pain, but drawing blood from the bite. The pure white bodysuit now sported a clash of deep crimson, confirming she had indeed been hit. She slowly pushed herself up off of Shinata and quickly scanned the young girl for injuries.

"Are you okay?" The young girl turned to look up at her teacher and nodded, her face paling a bit when she saw Sango's arm. Realizing they were in for another difficult battle, both girls got to their feet, Sango drawing her katana in her left arm and holding Hiraikotsu as a dual weapon-shield combination. Shinata picked up her halberd and twirled it around her a couple of times, preparing to defend herself just as her sensei had taught her. Another streak of color, and Sango took off in the direction of the movement. Shinata went and inspected the spear that had grazed Sango earlier. It wasn't any different than the spears that the villages around here would use.

'Maybe the demon that threw this stole it from a nearby village.' She wouldn't have to wait long to find out who it came from, for just as she finished that thought, an arrow passed right by her head, clearly missing her. Shinata pivoted around and brought her halberd up to eye level, only to pause in confusion and bring it back down. There in front of her stood a young demon, no older than herself. He was clad in traditional Japanese armor and held a quiver of arrows upon his shoulder. His bow was in his hand with another arrow loaded and ready to fire.

"Uh, excuse me, who are you? What kind of demon are you?" Taken back by her abrupt question, the young demon lowered his bow, a cocky smirk on his face.

"Since you're going to be my bride anyway, I guess I should go ahead and tell you." Shinata's eyes bulged. This demon wanted her to be his bride? That was wrong on too many levels.

"My name is Mizuki of the Fire. As my title implies, I am a fire wielding demon, and I have traveled from afar with my older sister searching for a young maiden to be my bride. So far, all the ones I found have either been killed by my sister for 'not being good enough for me' or have been too young or too old. Tell me, how old are you?" The young apprentice gulped nervously. If she lied and they found out, she'd be killed, but if she told the truth, she could be off again to live with some demon.

"I… well… you see, I'm… uh… 11 years old." The smirk on the boy's face grew wider and he openly chuckled.

"Perfect! I am 13, and you are just the right age for me. Come! Let us be off. It is a long journey back to my homelands. You will grow accustomed to the heat after a few months." A chill ran down Shinata's spine. She was NOT going to let this happen again.

"The only thing I'm going to be accustomed to is kicking your butt around this place. Leave me before you regret it." She warned, bringing her halberd back up. The smirk on the boy's face disappeared and was replaced with a hard scowl. He brought his bow back up, pulling on the string and setting the arrow straight for Shinata's head.

"Fine, you have sealed your fate, but be warned. This is no ordinary bow. Its power and might are backed by the powerful Fire Tribe where it was made."

"I don't care where it was made or who blessed it. All that I care about is finishing you off so I can go help Sango-sensei." Again, the demon boy laughed and smirked.

"Don't make me laugh! My sister is the heir to the Fire Tribe's village! She hasn't lost a battle yet, and defeating a puny human is child's play for her!"

"Wanna bet?" Both kids turned to see a knocked out demon girl being drug by Sango. She was sweating and her arm was still bleeding, but she looked none the worse for wear. The young boy was stunned, and fired the arrow at Sango instead, who easily knocked it out of the way with Hiraikotsu.

"Shinata, you can take him. I wouldn't kill him though. This'll be good practice for when we battle Naraku." Shinata nodded and turned back to face Mizuki and slowly started to spin her halberd above her head. Mizuki quickly aimed another arrow at Shinata and let it fly, only to stare in amazement as the apprentice batted it away with her weapon. She then lunged at Mizuki, who had little time to react. Shinata swung the halberd at him only to have it blocked by Mizuki's bow. Strengthening her grip on her weapon, Shinata suddenly brought the other side of her halberd up, slicing for Mizuki's body. She missed his body, but cut the string on his bow, effectively ending the battle. Turning the blade so the flat end would hit him, Shinata turned towards his head and connected with the back of his neck, knocking him out. His body slumped to the ground, and Shinata let out a sigh, thankful that this ordeal had come to a swift end. A clapping sound filled the air as Shinata turned to find Sango applauding her performance.

"Well done Shinata. I daresay you've improved tremendously these past couple of months." The apprentice smiled brightly at her teacher, excited about her first big victory as a taijiya. Her smile faded when she glanced at Sango's arm.

"Sensei, your arm. It's badly injured." Sango gave her a puzzled look before looking at her own arm. Mouthing an 'oh' in realization, she smiled and looked back to her apprentice.

"It's not as bad as it looks. Just a scratch." They both smiled brightly and turned to the sibling demons they encountered.

"Should we leave them?" Shinata asked.

"Yeah, I don't think they'll cause too much trouble around here. Not with Naraku lurking around." Sango said as she bent down to retrieve Hiraikotsu. Strapping it to her back, she motioned for Shinata to follow, and they set off for a nearby village to rest for the night.

* * *

**What'd you think? Not a very exciting chapter, but it signifies a turning point in the story for Shinata. She has won her first battle! Please please please, don't forget to leave a review on your way out. And again, you can flame me for being a bad author and not updating in forever, lol.**


	8. Premonitions? Or Just A Dream?

**No long speech here, just PLEASE read the bottom after reading the chapter.**

**Don't own anything... and I mean anything...**

**This chapter takes place 2 months after chapter 7.**

* * *

"C'mon Kagome, hurry up! We're trailing on Naraku, and all you can think about is packing your stupid bag! Drop it and let's go!" Inuyasha bellowed as he continued along at a faster pace than the others. Miroku, who was riding Kirara and gaining on Kagome, grabbed her by her arm with her backpack and hauled her up onto the demon cat. 

"Thanks Miroku. Where's Shippo?" As if on cue the little kitsune popped up behind Miroku and smiled down on the miko. She smiled back at him and handed him a lollipop to entertain him on the way to the next destination, wherever that was. Kagome turned back around to face ahead and looked up to the sky, wondering what her best friend was doing at the moment. Sango had just disappeared suddenly without a trace or a warning, causing Kagome to worry more than usual about her slayer friend. Her daydreams were abruptly cut short when Kirara made a bee-line for some trees. The reason why soon became apparent when Kagome next felt a horrible pain shoot up her calf. She cried out in pain and looked down to find her leg had been grazed deeply by an arrow. Miroku, sensing Kagome's pain, pulled her off of Kirara when they landed and took the medical kit from Kagome's backpack. As he was dressing the wound, Kirara searched for any sign of danger, circling the others protectively. Inuyasha bounded into the area where he smelled Kagome's blood, worry and anger plastered on his face.

"Kagome! Are you okay?" Wincing slightly, Kagome nodded at him, trying to smile through the pain.

"I'm okay, just a scratch." Miroku finished bandaging the wound and packed the kit back up.

"If everyone's okay for now, it's getting dark. We should stop at a village and rest. Kagome, I think we should get a doctor to look at your leg. It's pretty deep. Did you ever find who did this Inuyasha?"

"I didn't sense any demonic auras in the area. It was probably some bandits around here. This place isn't particularly known for its safety after dark."

"All the more reason for us to find a village." Miroku added. Kagome nodded and pulled herself back onto Kirara, followed by Miroku. Inuyasha huffed, but turned towards the east and started running. As soon as he was out of hearing range, Miroku leaned forward to Kagome.

"Kagome-sama, I need to ask you a question. Do you think- well, that Sango will come back soon? She says she will, but if she gets into trouble, we could never see her again. Can you please talk to Inuyasha about looking for her when we get a little further north?" Kagome sighed and looked at Miroku with sympathetic eyes. She nodded.

"I'll try to talk to him, but you know Inuyasha. Naraku has always been his first priority."

"Hey hurry up back there! We're almost to the village." Said hanyou bellowed out as they cleared the hill. Looking out on the expanse of the village, Kagome could tell they were going to rest well tonight. Many bathhouses surrounded the nearby hot springs, and there were several huge houses, signaling some wealthy families lived there.

After a few more hours and some "exorcisms" courtesy of Miroku, the group was experiencing some welcome R&R. Miroku had turned in early, claiming to the lord of the house that his "spiritual powers needed recharging". The others knew better than to believe him, but also knew better than to call him out on it. It would ruin their cover as well as bring his mood down even more. Lying on his futon, Miroku was in a cold sweat, his head moving from side to side, lost deep in his nightmares.

_Mist surrounded Miroku as he desperately fought his way through the darkness. A single light was in his sights, and he planned on reaching it before it went out. Two figures stood in front of the light, casting eerie glows around their silhouettes. Miroku stopped and squinted his eyes to focus on them._

"_What's wrong monk? Can't see in this dim light?"_

"_Naraku! Show yourself!" Miroku bellowed out to the demon. The figure on the left waved his hand, causing more lights to surround them. Miroku gasped as he saw the person accompanying Naraku._

"_Sango?! No! It can't be! Why are you with Naraku?" Naraku chuckled at his feeble attempts to catch his beloved's attention._

"_Can't you see it in her eyes monk? She takes orders from me now. I have killed her and brought her back in the same way I brought her brother back. If you thought your troubles were over between the slayer siblings and Inuyasha, you'll soon realize they've only just begun. However, if you join me, I'll return your beloved back to the land of the living." Miroku gritted his teeth._

"_How dare you Naraku! I will kill you and save her myself! I don't need you to help me!"_

"_Very well, just know you've made the last choice of your life. Sango, if you would be so kind." Miroku looked on in shock as Sango drew her katana and Hiraikotsu and came at him with everything she had._

"SANGO NO!" Miroku yelled at the top of his lungs into the night air. His door flung open to reveal a distressed miko and frowning hanyou with his sword in his hand.

"Miroku, what's wrong?" Kagome asked him as he wiped the sweat off his brow and the tear caught in his eye in one sweep.

"I'm okay, just a bad dream."

"About Sango again?" Miroku's silent reply and his expression spoke louder than any verbal acknowledgement.

"We'll find her soon. Let's focus on finding Naraku or Kohaku first." Miroku held back a sob before he answered.

"Kagome, I think it's too late to find Sango."

"What're you talking about?"

"I saw Naraku in my dream. I swear I thought I could touch him and I certainly felt his presence in the dream. Sango was with him, and she had the same look in her eyes that Kohaku has. He told me she's dead. And… that she's taking orders from him now." Kagome's eyes began to tear up with each word Miroku harshly said.

"Listen to who you're talking about. It's Naraku who's doing this: He's obviously playing tricks on your mind. He wants you to believe she's dead so you'll give up. You have no physical proof she's dead, so why believe him?" Inuyasha said, making everyone in the room turn a head towards him in confusion mixed with a strange sense of awe. Inuyasha frowned and looked at everyone in confusion.

"What?" Kagome smiled.

"Inuyasha, thanks." Miroku said.

"Well, now that that's taken care of, I'm going to bed. Don't scare me like that again monk, or it's you I'll send to the grave." Kagome lightly hugged Miroku and mouthed a goodnight before running after Inuyasha.

"Hey wait up Inuyasha!"

"What now?" Kagome pushed herself up on her tiptoes and kissed Inuyasha on the cheek, sending the hanyou into a state of confusion, amusement, and utter embarrassment. With a deep blush covering his cheeks, he turned away from the miko.

"Thanks again Inuyasha. You really are a great friend."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just go back to your room so I can get back to bed." Kagome nodded and giggled lightly as she skipped off to her room and shut the door. After seeing that she was in safely, Inuyasha turned back towards his room and smirked to himself.

'I must be doing something right.'

* * *

I know, it's been forever, and it probably sucks out the wazoo!!! Please, beat me! Try and saw my arm off with a butter knife! I deserve it! I've had absolutely NO inspiration these past few weeks, and I hate giving people some half-hearted written piece of crap, even though I personally think this can count as one. In all your grace and mercy, if you could review and let me know what you thought, and if you have any suggestions for how you want everyone to meet back up again, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!! 


End file.
